Free Arts uses art to restore hope, resiliency, and self-esteem in children in Los Angeles ages 5-18 who have experienced abuse, neglect, poverty and homelessness. We serve more than 22,000 children in Los Angeles each year via nearly 200 adult volunteer mentors.

Meet King:

“I live in the projects with a lot of other kids. Some days I don’t want to do anything. I didn’t want to do art that day, but I had to. Mr. Grant asked me about my dreams and what they looked like. It made me mad because I only have bad dreams and I don’t like talking about it. He kept asking me what I thought a good dream would be. I started crying because I couldn’t think of one and felt scared. But when we started working on my dreamcatcher, I stopped crying and felt better. It was fun to make something with yarn and feathers because we don’t have these at home or school. When I finished, I went back to Mr. Grant and asked him if the dreamcatcher would catch all my bad dreams. Mr. Grant said “If you believe and trust me then you should also believe and trust your dreamcatcher”. I took the dreamcatcher home and put it next to my bed. I started having good dreams for the first time since I can remember, thanks to my dreamcatcher and Mr. Grant.”

Consider making a gift so more children like King can imagine having a good dream for the first time. Your gift will mean that more children rediscover their voice and self worth through art.